Islamic extremists killed more than 60 people at a mall in Nairobi, Kenya, over the weekend. Somali al-Shabab extremists were behind the attacks. Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

The "religion" of Islam didn't kill these people, but fanatics did, just as in any religion where radicals exist. I wonder how may peace-loving Christians, filled with religious fervor, owned slaves and beat those who wouldn't comply? How much hate today is tied to religious beliefs, especially beliefs that don't coincide with those of others?

— Thomas Laurie Felts

If the attackers in Kenya did this as "retribution," then I say we blow up all the Islamic radicals as "retribution" for 9/11. I'm sure many of our politicians will expect us to do something about this attack at the Nairobi mall. They seem to want to take care of everything and everyone as long as it is not the people here in the USA who need help and protection.

— Darlene Bowers Blankenship

Islamic terrorism is our business. Extremists will kill you at your neighborhood mall if they figure out a way to do it.

Do the Sept. 11 and the Boston marathon attacks sound familiar?

— David Swain

Americans are tired of Muslim fanatics? Maybe they should stop funding and arming them and calling them freedom fighters as they do in Syria.

Americans think Muslims aren't doing enough to denounce and sideline the more radical and violent in their midst? Maybe Americans should stop going out of their way trying to overthrow secular Arab leaders such as Saddam Hussein, Moammar Gadhafi and Bashar Assad, who keep al-Qaeda in check and protect Christians.

All American foreign policy has done is destabilize Middle Eastern countries, thereby removing any possibilities they have to combat terrorism and then whine about the consequences.

— Jugurtha Syphax

People thinking the deeds of radical fools in the name of Islam represent true Muslims would be the same as claiming the Klu Klux Klan and its hateful deeds define Christianity.

— Kalah Terry

Letters to the editor:

Instead of calling the perpetrators who killed more than 60 people at an upscale mall in Kenya freedom fighters, or even militants, the appropriate words to describe them would be "cowardly terrorists."

Certainly, if the terrorists want to get their message across — retribution for Kenya's role in sending troops to Somalia — their targets should be the military, not innocent women, men and children. The use of soft targets such as a mall or a church shows the cowardly nature of the mission.

Hopefully, the world will recognize them as despicable individuals who stand for a cause that is contrary to all tenets of decency.

Nelson Marans; Silver Spring, Md.

As a Muslim American, I am saddened to hear the news of the terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya. An al-Qaeda affiliated-group, al-Shabab, has claimed responsibility.

In addition to the loss of innocent life, I am saddened that the terrorists are attributing their act to Islam. According to eyewitnesses, they killed only non-Muslims. They must deeply reflect on the Quran, which, while promoting sanctity of life, declares, "Whosoever killed a person ... it shall be if he had killed all mankind; and whoso saved a life, it shall be as if he saved all mankind." This verse does not differentiate between Muslims and non-Muslims.

By acting against the Quranic instruction to Muslims, these terrorists have clearly demonstrated that they are not true followers of Islam.